Bear Down on the Future: Caleb Williams goes first overall to Chicago

DETROIT, MI- “With the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears select: Caleb Williams, Quarterback, Southern California.”

The first pick is in! Caleb Williams, YOU are a Chicago Bear. 🐻@CALEBcsw | @ChicagoBears

📺: #NFLDraft on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/O7D6ZIZspL
— NFL (@NFL) April 26, 2024

With the first overall pick in the 2024 #NFLDraft, the Chicago Bears select Caleb Williams 👏 pic.twitter.com/lDGXQVLoRr
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 26, 2024

The future of the Chicago Bears is now! Prior to the 2023 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears and the Carolina Panthers made a blockbuster trade which sent the Bears 2023 #1 overall pick (Bryce Young) to Carolina in exchange for the Panthers’ 2023 1^st (OL Darnell Wright) and 2^nd round (DB Tyrique Stevenson) picks, 2024 1^st round pick (QB Caleb Williams), 2025 2^nd round pick and WR DJ Moore.

Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner, has been one of the most polarizing college prospects in recent memory. The 6 foot 1 Junior recorded over 10,000 passing yards and 93 passing touchdowns in his three year collegiate career. The Caleb Williams show began midway through his true freshman season at Oklahoma, as Williams replaced Sooners QB Spencer Rattler against Texas. During the Red River Showdown, Williams brought Oklahoma back from a 35-17 second quarter deficit to defeat the Longhorns 55-48.

Caleb Williams is the 3rd player in Oklahoma history with at least 6 passing touchdowns and 0 interceptions in a game.

He joins Kyler Murray in 2018 vs Baylor and Baker Mayfield in 2016 vs Texas Tech. pic.twitter.com/1tDTEcjWgW
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 30, 2021

During the offseason, Caleb Williams transferred to the University of Southern California to follow former Head Coach, Lincoln Riley. In two seasons as a Trojan, Williams led USC’s offense to be one of the best corps in the NCAA.

the one and the only… @CALEBcsw 🎬✌️🔥 pic.twitter.com/L4NT4dFB2o
— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) January 6, 2024

Caleb Williams possesses a strong arm and an ability to extend plays like no other prospect in this Draft. Williams showed the ability to turn a negative play into a positive. Even with a cannon arm, Caleb is just as lethal with his legs, becoming a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. Chicago is getting an elite playmaker that they have not had in decades.

Since 2010, the Bears have had 17 different QB’s start a game. The constant Chicago QB carousel has been a long and painful ride for the Bears faithful. This off season, the Bears appear to be all in on building around Williams, securing high level weapons for the talented QB to throw to. During free agency, Chicago signed RB D’Andre Swift to a 3 year, $24 Million deal, as well as trading for 6-time Pro Bowl WR, Keenan Allen with the Chargers in exchange for a 2024 4^th Round pick. The Bears also hold the 9^th overall pick in this Draft, which will surely be used on another elite offensive player, whether it’s a future pass catcher or offensive lineman to keep Caleb protected.

Cover Photo + Video Credits: USC Athletics